Our Current Challenge Introductory Biology in collaboration with

Our Current Challenge: Introductory Biology in collaboration with Chris Paradise

What’s Wrong with Biology Education Now? • Vocabulary is emphasized • Experimental approaches are minimized • Math is absent • Memorization is rewarded • Critical thinking is discouraged • Information is irrelevant to students

Too much content for the containers

If we currently cover all the important stuff…. …how can we add more content?

Start with the literature…

To fix biology education: • Reduce the volume of information • Facilitate construction of students’ knowledge • Use math repeatedly to illuminate biology • Analyze real experimental data • Reward thinking and creativity • Discuss ethical, legal, social implications

Present information and data…

… in the context of the big picture.

Artificial Divide within Biology Small Biology Big Biology

Five Levels of Organization Molecular Cellular Organismal Population Ecological System

Five Big Ideas of Biology Information Homeostasis Evolution Biology Emergent Properties Cells

Five by Five Matrix of Biology r a ul ll e C Or ga nis ma l ma Ecological System Evolution Ecological System ga nis Emergent Properties r a l lu ma l Ecological System Or g l e C r a l u c e l Mo Or Cells an ism al Po p u la t i o n Mo ism al Mo Biology Po p u la t i o n r a l u lec ll e C an Po e l o M C Ecological System r a l u r a ul pula t i o n Po Homeostasis Or g l l e r a l u lec l pula t i o n r a l cu nis Po C ga r a ul pul a t i o n ell Or r a l u ec l o M Information Ecological System

Five by Five Matrix of Biology Mo Evolution nis Emergent Properties ma l Ecological System r a l lu Or g l e C Mo ga r a l u lec Or Cells an ism al Po p u la t i o n Mo al Ecological System Po p u la t i o n r a l u lec C ism Po pula t i o n Biology Ecological System el an pula t i o n r a l lecu C l Ecological System r a l lu r a ul l l e Po Homeostasis Or g Mo C e l Mo ell nis ma r a l u lec ga r a ul Information P o p u l a t i o n Or r a l cu O r r ga a l u nis l l e m C al Ecological System

Five by Five Matrix of Biology a l u c e l o M r O r r ga a l nis ll u e m C al ga nis ma Ecological System Emergent Properties ma l Ecological System l e C Mo nis r a l lu r a l u lec ga Or g Cells an ism al Po p u la t i o n Mo Or Po p u la t i o n r a l u lec al Mo Mo C ism Po pula t i o n Biology Ecological System el an Evolution Ecological System r a l lu r a ul pula t i o n r a l lecu C l Po Homeostasis Or g l l e r a l u lec r a ul ell C P o p u l a t i o n Or Information Ecological System

Five by Five Matrix of Biology r la u l l e Or ga C a l u c e l o M r al P o p u l a t i o n Information Or ga nis ma Ecological System Emergent Properties ma l Ecological System l e C Mo nis r a l lu r a l u lec ga Or g Cells an ism al Po p u la t i o n Mo Or Po p u la t i o n r a l u lec al Mo Mo C ism Po pula t i o n Biology Ecological System el an Evolution Ecological System r a l lu r a ul pula t i o n r a l lecu C l Po Homeostasis Or g l l e r a l u lec r a ul ell C ni sm Ecological System

Five by Five Matrix of Biology a l u c e l o M r Mo Mo Ecological System Emergent Properties ma l Ecological System l e C Mo nis r a l lu Or g Cells an ism al Po p u la t i o n Mo ga Po p u la t i o n r a l u lec C Or r a l u lec el al Po pula t i o n Biology ism Evolution Ecological System r a l lu an pula t i o n r a l lecu C l Po Homeostasis r a ul l l e r a l u lec nis ma Or g lat i o n ga ell C Information Or r a ul Po p u O r r ga a l u nis l l e m C al Ecological System

Five by Five Matrix of Biology a l u c e l o M r O r r ga a l u nis l l e m C al ga C l Mo Biology Ecological System Emergent Properties ma l Ecological System l e C Mo nis r a l lu r a l u lec ga Or g Cells an ism al Po p u la t i o n Mo Or Po p u la t i o n r a l u lec Po r a l lecu al pula t i o n Po pula t i o n C ism System Evolution Ecological System el an l l e Homeostasis Ecological r a l lu r a ul Mo nis ma Or g r a l u lec r a ul ell C P o p u l a t i o n Or Information Ecological System

Five by Five Matrix of Biology r a ul ll e C Or ga nis ma l ma Ecological System Evolution Ecological System ga nis Emergent Properties r a l lu ma l Ecological System Or g l e C r a l u c e l Mo Or Cells an ism al Po p u la t i o n Mo ism al Mo Biology Po p u la t i o n r a l u lec ll e C an Po e l o M C Ecological System r a l u r a ul pula t i o n Po Homeostasis Or g l l e r a l u lec l pula t i o n r a l cu nis Po C ga r a ul pul a t i o n ell Or r a l u ec l o M Information Ecological System

Bio. Math Explorations Bio-Math Exploration 1. 2 How much DNA is in each band?

Bio. Math Explorations Bio. Math Exploration 6. 3 How can you fit exponential curves to data?

Real Data and Integrating Questions log Oxygen concentration

Real Data and Integrating Questions

Ethical, Legal and Social Implications Are religion and evolution compatible? Is science possible if you are uncertain about what is true? Does basic biology have any impact on the real world? Who owns your DNA?

AP Biology is Changing to Match Our Design

Acknowledgements Faculty: Laurie Heyer, Jeff Poet, Todd Eckdahl, Karmella Haynes Students: Romina Clemente, Clif Davis, A. J. Grant, Mary Gearing, Kin Lau, Olivia Ho-Shing, Shamita Punjabi, Eric Sawyer, Ashley Schooner, Siya Sun, Shashank Suresh, Bryce Szczepanik, Leland Taylor, Annie Temmink, Alyndria Thompson, Will Vernon, Oyinade Adefuye, Will De. Loache, Jim Dickson, Andrew Martens, Amber Shoecraft, Mike Waters, Jordan Baumgardner, Tom Crowley, Lane Heard, Nick Morton, Michelle Ritter, Karen Acker, Bruce Henschen, Jessica Treece, Matt Unzicker, Amanda Valencia, Lance Harden, Sabriya Rosemond, Samantha Simpson, Erin Zwack, Marian Broderick, Adam Brown, Trevor Butner, Lane Heard, Eric Jessen, Kelley Malloy, Brad Ogden, Kelly Davis, Alicia Allen, James Barron, Robert Cool, Kelly Davis, Will De. Loache, Erin Feeney, Andrew Gordon, John Igo, Aaron Lewis, Kristi Muscalino, Madeline Parra, Pallavi Penumetcha, Karlesha Roland, Max Win, Xiao Zhu, Kristen De. Celle, Matt Gemberling, Oscar Hernandez, Andrew Drysdale, Nick Cain, Tamar Odel, and Jackie Ryan. The Duke Endowment, NSF, HHMI Genome Consortium for Active Teaching (GCAT) Davidson College James G. Martin Genomics Program MWSU SGA, Foundation & Summer Research Institute

Redesigning Biology for Students